What makes a jr. high kid on his birthday happy especially when he loves classic rock? Our boy has a new toy today which we picked out together. I don’t know what the deal is with jr. highers and classic rock these days…I’m happy with the classic rock…but how come I feel like I’m having a flashback to when I was in jr. high?

Picked up the little guy from kinder this morning…rewind the clock a couple of hours…

“dad, has to go to the bathroom.” Seeing the playground bathroom, we enter, dad does his “number 1″ stuff)

I look over to where the little kinder dude is and he’s flushing all of the urinals and yells, “WATERFALL.”

I almost peed again…hehe.

On another good note, praising God for our kids…

Our oldest has a birthday today…the BIG 12! Happy birthday son. Where does the time go???

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwGAKUForhM]
Ok, I’m not usually one to preach from a pulpit stand. I will use it just for notes, but the stand makes me feel all wierd and stuff and when I do preach from a pulpit stand I usually regret it. Just me. Sorry seminary education, but…I think I can get used to this stand for preaching and this would of made preaching class much more fun.

ht: Tim

 (The way young couple) It’s our wedding anniversary weekend. Happy Anniversary to my sweet and most beautiful bride!!! I love you Debbie and I thank Jesus for the last 16 years of joy that you’ve brought me. ! I love you, I love you, I love you!!!! You are a wonderful mom, an awesome and gifted school teacher, and most of all you are a blessing to me!!!!

My son is away this weekend on his first mission trip with these guys. I’m jazzed for him because I know what happens when a bunch of jr. high kids get together, outside of their comfort zones, and what the holy spirit does in laying some groundwork for calling kids to serve those who don’t have much. I remember doing several weekend work projects and mission trips with my jr. high youth leaders and kids from my youth group here. Weekends that I still remember like it was yesterday on how God moved me and changed my heart about the world around me. I also remember doing stuff with these guys that if itweren’t for hearing the need for me to go out into all the world, I don’t know if I’d being doing what I’m doing as a follower of Jesus today. Please pray for his youth group as they spend a couple of days passing out hot chocalate and hosting a block party for some kids just to have some fun and to be loved no matter what.

The first opportunity I heard of the term “coach” was at a recent conference I attended on New Church Development. I was intrigued with this concept because it meant that if there were a pastor interested in starting a new church he or she would have the opportunity to having a mentor pastor. Someone they could call on in times of joy and struggle in ministry Someone who’d come and help them train their leaders. Someone to help cast the vision of a new church and for where the Lord is leading.

I just spent a couple of weeks hanging out with a church where I was an “interim youth guy.” The church hired a new person who didn’t have much experience in regards to youth ministry. What I enjoyed most was being able to help not only the church cast some new vision for youth ministry, but I got to walk alongside this new youth person as they got their feet wet. I felt like a coach of sorts. It was neat. After a year of wondering if I still had something to give to the church when it came to youth ministry and loving kids like Christ loved them, I was able to find a new niche if you will in helping someone get exicted about youth ministry and helping a church discern what they were wanting in regards to youth ministry. I don’t know how much of an impact I made in my time of serving, but I sure felt good and that I was able to offer something back to the church once again. I’d love to start a ministry of coaching for churches and new youth staff. I can see the Lord using me in this area as I begin a new phase in my own ministry as a solo pastor. I’ve only seen one or two ministries, I also know YS is talking about some kind of consulting for youth workers. Marko call me when you do this, I’ll consult for free mochas) I offer you this as my reasoning for such a ministry and the continued need for the church to keep loving kids into the kingdom, especially knowing that there are other youth workers who are about to throw in the towel, who are bruised, and who are in need of someone to walk alongside them and churches who are just at a road block on what to do with the kids they have or who are in need of some simple direction on where to go as they seek to be a church that loves kids into the kingdom.

I can listen to this on my ipod and work out at the same time? WOW! Almost done listening to Willard. He actually reads his own stuff.

Netflixed season 1 of 24. 4 to go to be all caught up. Trader Joes 73% dark chocalate and 24 very good mix. Thanks to Marko for the update on the new season of 24. can’t wait.  Addicted now I must admit.

Youth Specialties is this week. I’m not there. It starts today. Would love to have been able to go. I’ve always enjoyed going. The worship is refreshing. The preaching is always a treat. Althought it’s “camp” for the youth worker it is one of those places where time freezes for a few days if you are a youth worker in the trenches. This has been one of those years for me and my wife when it comes to ministry and how I would have loved to take the wife and kids for a retreat down to YS and to be with folks who “get it.” Pray for the staff of YS as they prepare for a time of renewal for a bunch of folks in the trenches of ministry and in the business of loving kids no matter what. You can check this guy out for updates on how the convention is going.